Vision Quest

A Spiritual Rite of Passage

At the center of our lives there is an honesty, a vitality, that seems to slip away as we enact our daily life. Focusing our attention on the subtle core of who we really are, we always awaken to Truth. In the process of the Vision Quest, we are re-introduced to ourselves through purification, solitude and communion with the wild earth.

In these important rites of passage, initiates venture on solo journeys into the wilderness for stillness, insight and resources for life. Quests provide a doorway to the soul by breaking with our daily routine – immersing ourselves in wild nature through solitude, physical purification and deep ceremony.

Vision Quests create the opportunity for us to live with a clearer sense of purpose and presence.

The ProgramThis journey will be organized around a traditional Medicine Wheel – honoring East, South, West and North, and working with the elements of air, fire, water and earth. We will have two days of preparation for the Vision Quest, three days of solo questing and fasting with water, and one full day of sharing, integration and honoring all we experienced during the solo. Prep days will include a combination of didactic teaching, inquiry, dialog with the land and elements of nature, journeying to the Three Worlds, drumming, journal writing, poetry and joining to create ceremony and ritual.

The JourneyThe solo, a three day sojourn in nature, will be creatively oriented and supported by the deep preparation, practices and facilitation we engage in as a tribe. Each quester will select his/her own site on which to surrender to the Mystery, inviting the inspiration and grief that comes at the end of every life cycle and the beginning of another.

Your three day solo quest in the wilderness will be supported by beautiful terrain, all the supplies you will need, and the encouragement of your friends and allies to dive deeply in your medicine in a sacred way.

Pre-trip prep and ongoing support are built into this retreat experience. A central fire will be tended round the clock during your quest as we hold you sweetly for your growth and inspiration! Post-trip integration allows the insights and unfoldment of the quest into your life.

The RetreatMyrtle Point, Oregon 2016 Quest was hosted at beautiful Camp Myrtlewood with 158 acres of temperate rainforest, streams, meadows and rustic buildings nestled in the coast range of southern Oregon. The Southern Coastal Range is a mountainous eco-region with mature forests of Douglas fir and big leaf maple, hosting a diverse array of plant & wildlife, including black bear, elk, deer and many species of birds. Running through camp is Myrtle Creek, home to salmon, trout, otters and beavers.

We began our vision quest journey on Saturday afternoon, October 8th, with a walking tour of Camp Myrtlewood, in southwest Oregon between Coos Bay and Roseburg, just a 4½ hour drive from Portland. Participants arriving early Saturday may explore the spectacular terrain of camp. Closing Ceremony on Saturday, October 15th will leave participants with plenty of time to take a drive to the ocean or a hike in the woods.

Carpooling from Portland and airport pickups will be arranged! We’ll help with logistics.

Tuition and Accommodations $800 all inclusive. Register and pay in full by July 9th and receive a 10% discount! $200 non-refundable deposit will hold your place. All balances are due by September 15.